editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Allison Aubrey is a correspondent for NPR News, where her stories can be heard on Morning Edition and All Things Considered. She's also a contributor to the PBS NewsHour. Aubrey is a 2016 winner of a James Beard Award in the category of "Best TV Segment" for a PBS/NPR collaboration. The series of stories included an investigation of the link between pesticides and the decline of bees and other pollinators, and a two-part series on food waste. Along with her colleagues on The Salt , Aubrey is winner of a 2012 James Beard Award for best food blog. She was also a nominee for a James Beard Award in 2013 for her broadcast radio coverage of food and nutrition. In 2009, Aubrey was awarded the American Society for Nutrition's Media Award for her reporting on food and nutrition. She was honored with the 2006 National Press Club Award for Consumer Journalism in radio and earned a 2005 Medical Evidence Fellowship by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Knight Foundation. She was alsoNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Allison AubreyTue, 05 Sep 2017 05:54:52 +0000Allison Aubreyhttp://wuwf.org
Allison AubreyIt's not lost on beverage makers that consumers are drinking fewer sodas as they aim to cut back on sugar. "Sugar is now the number one item that consumers want to avoid in their diets," says Darren Seifer , a food and beverage industry analyst with the NPD Group. The message to consume less is coming from health experts around the globe. It's a challenge for the beverage industry, as is the fact that many consumers don't like the idea of artificial sweeteners found in diet drinks. So, the search for new, alternative sweeteners that can appeal to consumers' changing tastes is in full swing. And Coca-Cola has turned to crowd-sourcing. The company has launched a competition on the crowd-sourcing platform HeroX. According to this description on Coca-Cola's corporate website, Coke is seeking "a naturally sourced, safe, low- or no-calorie compound that creates the taste sensation of sugar when used in beverages." The company says, "one grand prize winner will be awarded $1 million inCoca-Cola Offers A Sweet Quest: A Million Bucks To Replace Sugarhttp://wuwf.org/post/coca-cola-offers-sweet-quest-million-bucks-replace-sugar
54874 as http://wuwf.orgMon, 04 Sep 2017 09:10:00 +0000Coca-Cola Offers A Sweet Quest: A Million Bucks To Replace SugarAllison AubreyMoney can't buy happiness, right? Well, some researchers beg to differ. They say it depends on how you spend it. A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that when people spend money on time-saving services such as a house cleaner, lawn care or grocery delivery, it can make them feel a little happier. By comparison, money spent on material purchases — aka things — does not boost positive emotions the way we might expect. Think of it as a way to buy back what has become for many Americans a scarce resource: free time. Yet, in a culture where many people are quick to buy the latest model phone, a big-screen TV or a fancy pair of shoes, those same people are often resistant to spending money on time-saving services. "Contemplating paying somebody else to do something you're perfectly capable of doing yourself may provoke feelings of guilt," says Elizabeth Dunn , a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia and an author ofNeed A Happiness Boost? Spend Your Money To Buy Time, Not More Stuffhttp://wuwf.org/post/need-happiness-boost-spend-your-money-buy-time-not-more-stuff
54595 as http://wuwf.orgMon, 28 Aug 2017 09:08:00 +0000Need A Happiness Boost? Spend Your Money To Buy Time, Not More StuffAllison AubreyIn 2011, the National Park Service put in place a policy to encourage national parks to end the sale of bottled water. The aim was to cut back on plastic litter. It was not actually an outright ban — but 23 out of 417 national parks, including Grand Canyon National Park and Zion National Park, implemented restrictions on bottled water sales. The parks encourage visitors to use tap water and refillable bottles instead. Now, The Trump administration has reversed this Obama-era policy. "While we will continue to encourage the use of free water bottle filling stations as appropriate, ultimately it should be up to our visitors to decide how best to keep themselves and their families hydrated during a visit to a national park," said Acting National Park Service Director Michael T. Reynolds in a statement. The National Park Service says the so-called bottled water ban policy in effect removed the healthiest beverage option but still allowed sales of bottles of sweetened drinks. TheTrump Administration Reverses Bottled Water Ban In National Parkshttp://wuwf.org/post/trump-administration-reverses-bottled-water-ban-national-parks
54304 as http://wuwf.orgFri, 18 Aug 2017 20:13:00 +0000Trump Administration Reverses Bottled Water Ban In National ParksAllison AubreyIf one glass of wine takes the edge off, why not drink a few more? This thinking may help explain the findings of a new study that points to an increase in drinking among adults in the U.S., especially women. "We found that both alcohol use and high-risk drinking, which is sometimes called binge-drinking, increased over time," says Deborah Hasin , a professor of epidemiology at the Columbia University Medical Center and an author of the study. To assess drinking trends, researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with thousands of adults. Researchers asked a series of questions, such as: Did you ever drink four or more drinks on an occasion, and if so, how often? The study compares the findings from two surveys. One was carried out in 2001-2002; the other was from 2012-2013. So what's behind the increase? The study wasn't designed to answer this question, but Hasin says there could be a combination of factors. "Increasing numbers of people feel pessimistic about their economicWith Heavy Drinking On The Rise, How Much Is Too Much?http://wuwf.org/post/women-who-love-wine-are-you-binge-drinking-without-realizing-it
54216 as http://wuwf.orgWed, 16 Aug 2017 22:30:00 +0000With Heavy Drinking On The Rise, How Much Is Too Much?Allison AubreyWhat we eat can influence more than our waistlines. It turns out, our diets also help determine what we smell like. A recent study found that women preferred the body odor of men who ate a lot of fruits and vegetables, whereas men who ate a lot of refined carbohydrates (think bread, pasta) gave off a smell that was less appealing. Skeptical? At first, I was, too. I thought this line of inquiry must have been dreamed up by the produce industry. (Makes a good marketing campaign, right?) But it's legit. "We've known for a while that odor is an important component of attractiveness, especially for women," says Ian Stephen of Macquarie University in Australia. He studies evolution, genetics and psychology and is an author of the study. From an evolutionary perspective, scientists say our sweat can help signal our health status and could possibly play a role in helping to attract a mate. How did scientists evaluate the link between diet and the attractiveness of body odor? They began byMen, Listen Up: Women Like The Smell Of Guys Who Eat A Certain Diethttp://wuwf.org/post/men-listen-women-smell-guys-who-eat-certain-diet
54091 as http://wuwf.orgMon, 14 Aug 2017 09:01:00 +0000Men, Listen Up: Women Like The Smell Of Guys Who Eat A Certain DietAllison AubreyWhen my editors asked me to report on forest bathing, I packed a swimsuit. I assumed it must involve a dip in the water. It turns out, my interpretation was too literal. I met certified Forest Therapy guide Melanie Choukas-Bradley and several other women who'd come along for the adventure at the footbridge to Theodore Roosevelt Island, a dense jungle of an urban forest along the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Here, I began to get it. Forest bathing isn't a bath. We sat on the banks of the river, but we did not get in the water. It's not a hike, either. We did walk the forest trails, but we meandered with no particular destination in mind. The aim of forest bathing, Choukas-Bradley explained, is to slow down and become immersed in the natural environment. She helped us tune in to the smells, textures, tastes and sights of the forest. We took in our surroundings by using all our senses. As we passed through a stand of pawpaw trees, we touched the bark. We smelled the black walnuts,Forest Bathing: A Retreat To Nature Can Boost Immunity And Moodhttp://wuwf.org/post/forest-bathing-retreat-nature-can-boost-immunity-and-mood
53084 as http://wuwf.orgMon, 17 Jul 2017 09:01:00 +0000Forest Bathing: A Retreat To Nature Can Boost Immunity And MoodAllison AubreyIf you're tired of popping pain medicine for your lower back pain, yoga may be a good alternative. New research finds that a yoga class designed specifically for back pain can be as safe and effective as physical therapy in easing pain. The yoga protocol was developed by researchers at Boston Medical Center with input from yoga teachers, doctors and physical therapists. During the class, trained instructors guide participants through gentle poses, including cat-cow, triangle pose and child's pose. Simple relaxation techniques are part of the class as well. More difficult poses, such as inversions, are avoided. A guidebook that details the poses taught during the class is freely available, as is a teacher training manual . The findings, published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine , are in line with new guidelines for treating back pain from the American College of Physicians. The group recommends that people with back pain should avoid pain medicines if possible, and instead optStudy Finds Yoga Can Help Back Pain, But Keep It Gentle, With These Poseshttp://wuwf.org/post/study-finds-yoga-can-help-back-pain-keep-it-gentle-these-poses
52157 as http://wuwf.orgTue, 20 Jun 2017 09:07:00 +0000Study Finds Yoga Can Help Back Pain, But Keep It Gentle, With These PosesAllison AubreyWhen the news broke that Amazon had agreed to buy Whole Foods for $13.7 billion, the retail food sector went a little bananas. The stock prices of large food retail chains, such as Costco, tumbled a bit. And this headline from Business Insider helps explain it: Amazon is acquiring Whole Foods — and Walmart, Target, and Kroger should be terrified . The message is this: The brick-and-mortar retail business that pioneered organic, fresh food and the country's dominant e-commerce company make a powerful combination. Whole Foods was quick to point out, in a statement , that its stores will continue to operate under the Whole Foods Market brand, that its headquarters will remain in Austin, Texas, and that John Mackey will stay on as CEO. Nonetheless, a lot is about to change. We spoke to food analyst David Portalatin of the NPD Group, a market research company. A Moody's analyst described the Amazon-Whole Foods deal as a "transformative transaction, not just for food retail, but for retailAfter The Amazon Deal: What Will Shopping At Whole Foods Feel Like?http://wuwf.org/post/after-amazon-deal-what-will-shopping-whole-foods-feel
52082 as http://wuwf.orgSat, 17 Jun 2017 12:00:00 +0000After The Amazon Deal: What Will Shopping At Whole Foods Feel Like?Allison AubreyAbout 20 percent of baby food samples tested over a decade-long period had detectable levels of lead, according to a new report from Environmental Defense Fund, a nonprofit group. The group evaluated data collected by the Food and Drug Administration from 2003 to 2013. This included 2,164 baby food samples. They found 89 percent of grape juice samples, 86 percent of sweet potatoes samples and 47 percent of teething biscuits samples contained detectable levels of lead. "The levels we found were relatively low, but when you add them up — with all the foods children eat ... it's significant," says study author Tom Neltner of the Environmental Defense Fund. None of the baby food samples seemed to exceed the Food and Drug Administration's allowable levels of lead . However, the FDA is in the process of reviewing its standards, and there's concern that current standards do not reflect the latest science about the potential health risks, especially for young children. "I think the onus isLead Detected In Baby Food Samples. Pediatricians Say There's No Safe Levelhttp://wuwf.org/post/lead-detected-baby-food-samples-pediatricians-say-theres-no-safe-level
52037 as http://wuwf.orgThu, 15 Jun 2017 22:30:00 +0000Lead Detected In Baby Food Samples. Pediatricians Say There's No Safe LevelAllison AubreyThe Food and Drug Administration has delayed the deadline for food companies to adopt a new Nutrition Facts label on food and beverage packages. A design for the new label was unveiled by Michelle Obama in 2014 at a White House event held on the anniversary of her campaign to fight obesity. The updated label highlights the calories in packaged food and drinks using a big font with bold lettering. It also labels added sugars. Originally, large companies had been given until July 2018 to comply with the new label, and at least one food giant, Mars Inc., has said i t could be ready to meet that deadline. But several industry groups asked for more time. Now, in announcing an extension of the compliance date, the FDA issued this statement: "The agency is mindful of the importance of balancing its mission of protecting public health with the practicalities of implementing the amended labeling requirements." The Trump administration has also delayed t he deadline for complying with a ruleTrump Administration Gives Industry More Time to Adopt New Nutrition Fact Label http://wuwf.org/post/trump-administration-gives-industry-more-time-adopt-new-nutrition-fact-label
51942 as http://wuwf.orgTue, 13 Jun 2017 21:22:00 +0000Trump Administration Gives Industry More Time to Adopt New Nutrition Fact Label Allison AubreyDog owners often say the best thing about dogs is their unconditional love. But new research suggests there's another benefit, too. Dog owners walk more. In a study published Monday in the journal BMC Public Health , dog owners on average walked 22 minutes more per day compared to people who didn't own a dog. And they weren't just dawdling. "Not only did we see an increase in exercise, but also the exercise was at a moderate pace," explains study author Daniel Mills of the University of Lincoln, in the United Kingdom. The study found that the dog owners walked briskly and got their heart rates up. At times, their pace was about 3 miles per hour, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers moderate intensity . Prior studies have shown that moderate-intensity walking is just as effective as running in lowering the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes and other conditions. And the more people walk, the more the health benefits increase,Dog Owners Walk 22 Minutes More Per Day. And Yes, It Counts As Exercisehttp://wuwf.org/post/dog-owners-walk-22-minutes-more-day-and-yes-it-counts-exercise
51900 as http://wuwf.orgMon, 12 Jun 2017 21:35:00 +0000Dog Owners Walk 22 Minutes More Per Day. And Yes, It Counts As ExerciseAllison AubreyEver heard of the freshman 15? Nowadays, some people who are unhappy with the current political environment are complaining of the "Trump 10." We first heard this term from actress Jane Krakowski, who recently told late night TV host Stephen Colbert, "Now that I've put on my Trump 10, I've got to work out a little." When Colbert said he hadn't heard of the term, she replied, "You know — like the freshman 15," referring to the weight gain typical during the first year of college. She's not the only one. Similar complaints of politically induced stress eating have come from megastar Barbra Streisand and director Judd Apatow, who told The New York Times , "I'm trying so hard to have it not turn into 30 pounds." So is there anything to this? I put the question to Janice Kiecolt-Glaser of the Ohio State University. She studies how stress can influence our bodies — and our eating. "I think the so-called Trump 10 could indeed be real," she says, "because when people are stressed, they'The Trump 10': Packing On The Pounds In An Age Of Stressful Politicshttp://wuwf.org/post/trump-10-packing-pounds-age-stressful-politics
51701 as http://wuwf.orgWed, 07 Jun 2017 15:07:00 +0000'The Trump 10': Packing On The Pounds In An Age Of Stressful PoliticsAllison AubreyThere's a rich body of evidence that links chocolate to heart health. Now comes a new study that finds people who consume small amounts of chocolate each week have a lower risk of developing atrial fibrillation, a heart condition characterized by a rapid or irregular heartbeat. "The rate of atrial fibrillation was 20 percent lower for people consuming two to six servings [of chocolate] per week" compared with people who ate chocolate less than once per month, explains study author Elizabeth Mostofsky , an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The findings are published in the journal BMJ Heart. Atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib, can increase the risk of heart failure, stroke and cognitive impairment. It affects over 33 million people around the globe, and an estimated 25 percent of adults will develop the condition during their lifetime, according to an editorial published alongside the paper. To assess how chocolate consumption can influence the riskEating Chocolate, A Little Each Week, May Lower The Risk Of A Heart Flutterhttp://wuwf.org/post/eating-chocolate-little-each-week-may-lower-risk-heart-flutter
51250 as http://wuwf.orgWed, 24 May 2017 22:30:00 +0000Eating Chocolate, A Little Each Week, May Lower The Risk Of A Heart FlutterAllison AubreyIf you have ever noticed an itchy or tingly sensation in your mouth after biting into a raw apple, carrot, banana or any of the fruits and veggies listed here , read on. People who are allergic to pollen are accustomed to runny eyes and sniffles this time of year. But some seasonal allergy sufferers have it worse: They can develop allergic reactions to common fruits and vegetables. The allergic reactions — which are usually mild — can come on suddenly. And people can react to foods they had been eating with no problem for most of their lives. The condition is called oral allergy syndrome. "I do think that this is one of the most underreported and underrecognized conditions, " says Dr. Carah Santos , an allergist at National Jewish Health in Denver. People who have OAS are allergic to plant pollens. Many fruits and vegetables contain proteins that are similar to these pollens. So the immune system can mistake the fruit and vegetable proteins for the plant pollens that caused the allergyIf Raw Fruits Or Veggies Give You A Tingly Mouth, It's A Real Syndromehttp://wuwf.org/post/if-raw-fruits-or-veggies-give-you-tingly-mouth-its-real-syndrome
51111 as http://wuwf.orgMon, 22 May 2017 09:04:00 +0000If Raw Fruits Or Veggies Give You A Tingly Mouth, It's A Real SyndromeAllison AubreyWhen it comes to feeding kids a healthy diet, "it's not politics, it's parenting," Michelle Obama said Friday. And then she got a little fired up. Without ever naming President Trump, the former first lady took aim at changes the administration announced last week that weaken some of the school nutrition standards she championed. "Think about why someone is OK with your kids eating crap," she told the crowd at the Partnership for a Healthier America conference. "We gotta make sure we don't let anybody take us back," she said as the crowd cheered. "Every elected official on this planet should understand: Don't play with our children. Don't do it," Obama implored. Trump's agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue, announced changes to the school lunch program during a visit to a school cafeteria in Leesburg, Va. He said he had listened to the complaints of students and school food administrators. "We all know that kids are pretty outspoken about what they want to eat and what they don't,"Here's What Michelle Obama Thinks About Trump's School Lunch Ruleshttp://wuwf.org/post/heres-what-michelle-obama-thinks-about-trumps-school-lunch-rules
50794 as http://wuwf.orgSat, 13 May 2017 11:00:00 +0000Here's What Michelle Obama Thinks About Trump's School Lunch RulesAllison AubreyThe advice to eat a healthy diet is not new. Back around 400 B.C., Hippocrates, the Greek doctor, had this missive: Let food be thy medicine. But as a society, we've got a long way to go. About 1 out of every 2 deaths from heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes in the U.S. is linked to a poor diet. That's about 1,000 deaths a day. There are lots of places to lay the blame. Calories are cheap, and indulgent foods full of salt, sugar and fat are usually within our reach 24/7. So, how best to turn this around? Consider Tom Shicowich's story. It begins with a toe. His left pinky toe. "One day I looked down and it was a different color ... kind of blue," Shicowich says. And he began to feel sick. "I thought I was coming down with the flu." The next day he was on the operating table. A surgeon amputated his toe, and it took two weeks of intravenous antibiotics to fend off the infection. All told, he spent a month in the hospital and a rehab facility. "Oh, I tell you, it was a bad year,"Fresh Food By Prescription: This Health Care Firm Is Trimming Costs — And Waistlineshttp://wuwf.org/post/fresh-food-prescription-health-care-firm-trimming-costs-and-waistlines
50587 as http://wuwf.orgMon, 08 May 2017 08:43:00 +0000Fresh Food By Prescription: This Health Care Firm Is Trimming Costs — And WaistlinesAllison AubreyThe Trump administration has said it wants to remove burdensome regulation, and on Monday it served up a taste of what that looks like when it comes to two aspects of food policy: school lunch and calorie labels on menus. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced a plan to delay a mandate that would require schools to further reduce sodium levels in the meals they serve. In addition, Perdue wants to give the green light to schools that want to serve some grains that aren't whole-grain rich. "We all know that kids are pretty outspoken about what they want to eat and what they don't," Perdue said, adding, "We've got to balance the nutritional aspect with the palatability." He told a crowd gathered at a school cafeteria in Leesburg, Va., that he's listened to kids, parents and school administrators, many of whom have been pushing for more flexibility in implementing nutrition standards that were enacted during the Obama administration. The news brought the ire of many nutrition andMore Salt In School Lunch, Less Nutrition Info On Menus: Trump Rolls Back Food Ruleshttp://wuwf.org/post/more-salt-school-lunch-less-nutrition-info-menus-trump-rolls-back-food-rules
50404 as http://wuwf.orgTue, 02 May 2017 19:17:00 +0000More Salt In School Lunch, Less Nutrition Info On Menus: Trump Rolls Back Food RulesAllison AubreyNagging your kids to stick to a set bedtime each night may feel like a thankless task. But here's some justification that your efforts are setting your kids up for a healthier life: A new study finds that preschool-age children who didn't have a set sleep routine were more likely to be overweight by the time they became tweens. "We found children who had inconsistent bedtimes were almost twice as likely to be obese by age 11 compared to kids who had regular bedtimes," says study author Sarah Anderson , an epidemiologist at The Ohio State University. The new study, which is based on findings from a cohort of children in the U.K., builds on a body of research that finds household routines early in life can influence body weight and the risk of obesity in adolescence and beyond. It's published in the International Journal of Obesity . When children were 3, parents were surveyed about a range of habits, including sleep and meal times. Researchers have continued to follow the children, whoEat, Sleep, Repeat: How Kids' Daily Routines Can Help Prevent Obesityhttp://wuwf.org/post/eat-sleep-repeat-how-kids-daily-routines-can-help-prevent-obesity
50114 as http://wuwf.orgTue, 25 Apr 2017 11:00:00 +0000Eat, Sleep, Repeat: How Kids' Daily Routines Can Help Prevent ObesityAllison AubreyA new study raises a novel idea about what might trigger celiac disease, a condition that makes patients unable to tolerate foods containing gluten. The study suggests that a common virus may be to blame. For people with celiac disease, gluten can wreak havoc on their digestive systems. Their immune systems mistake gluten as a dangerous substance. Scientists have known for a while that genetics predisposes some people to celiac. About 30 percent of Americans carry the genes that make them more susceptible to the disease. And yet, only about one percent of Americans have celiac. Researchers wondered why not everyone with the risk genes gets the disease. The answer is likely complicated, but one theory has emerged. Perhaps a "viral infection can serve as a trigger to celiac," explains Dr. Terence Dermody, who chairs the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh, and is an author of the new study published in Science . He and a team of collaborators, led by Bana Jabri ofWhen Gluten Is The Villain, Could A Common Virus Be The Trigger? http://wuwf.org/post/when-gluten-villain-could-common-virus-be-trigger
49555 as http://wuwf.orgSat, 08 Apr 2017 11:28:00 +0000When Gluten Is The Villain, Could A Common Virus Be The Trigger? Allison AubreyPhiladelphia created a buzz last summer when its city council voted to impose a tax on sweetened drinks . Three cities followed suit with similar measures. But the beverage industry has been fighting back. On Wednesday, a panel of judges in a Pennsylvania appeals court is expected to hear oral arguments in a lawsuit brought by the beverage industry against the city. The plaintiffs — including the American Beverage Association and the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association — are seeking to invalidate the tax. One of their legal arguments is that the beverage tax conflicts with the Pennsylvania sales tax. The legal challenge has put the brakes on the city's planned expansion of programs that are funded by revenues from the tax. The mayor's office says the city will hold off on adding additional pre-K seats. Currently, the revenue is funding 2,000 pre-K spots for low-income families in the city. But now, the city says it will not add an additional 1,000 seats as previously planned. IJudges Take Up Big Soda's Suit To Abolish Philadelphia's Sugar Taxhttp://wuwf.org/post/judges-take-big-sodas-suit-abolish-philadelphias-sugar-tax
49421 as http://wuwf.orgWed, 05 Apr 2017 10:00:00 +0000Judges Take Up Big Soda's Suit To Abolish Philadelphia's Sugar Tax